Washing-machine



UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID ALLAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,309, dated August 26, 1851.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, DAVID ALLAN, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in lVashing-NIac-hines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation with a portion of one of the standards and of the plunger in section. Fig. 2, is a central vertical section of the machine at right angles to the sweep of the handles or brakes. Figs. 3 and 4 show the apparat-us for tripping the rollers and shifting the position of the clothes. Fig. 5 is a modification of the plunger by which the rollers are laterally diverged by means of a spring, bringing the clothes wrapped around them in contact with the rollers in the box of the machine. Fig. G shows a method of holding the clothes upon the rollers by means of a block which is laid upon them, and which is shifted by hand when it is not desired to make the rollers self shifting.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine which will expose the clothes at every plunge into the cistern or box to a violent stream of water and suds which will penetrate every part of them. The usual difficulty with washing machines so far as my experienceV goes, is, that the outside ones may be perfectly washed while the inner ones are scarcely benefited by the operation.

To explain the operation of my machine: Anumber of clothes, (sayG shirts) are placed between the concave (a.) and convex (b) uted rollers on each side of the plunger (c), the ends are allowed to hang down in the tub (d) but sufficient is placed within the bite of the rollers to enable them as they turn to expose a fresh part to the rubbing and dashing action; the plunger is caused to descend by pressure upon the brakes (e) and as it passes the rollers (f) and the spring pressure blocks (g) the clothes are pressed with a force due to their quantity and the pressure of the spring (It). In the upward motion of the plunger which is assisted by the spring (i) a similar action takes place and the water is pressed out of the saturated clothes. As the clothes are fed through the rolle-rs on each side they meet in the middle and turn down between the rollers into the tub again, and as the plunger descends give it the character of a piston which as it comes in contact with the water, violently displaces it, and the water rushing in the direction of the slats (j) (see the arrow), which form the upper part of the water chamber impinges violently upon the clothes which are between the series of rollers on the plunger and those in the tub; this movement by a slight alternate elevation and depression is continued until the clothes immediately exposed to the action of the water and consequent rubbing, are clean, and then the plunger is elevated to its full height and in coming down comes in contact with the apparatus which shifts the clothes between the rollers so as to eX- pose a fresh surface. Upon the journals of the upper or concave fluted rollers (a.) are plates (7u) which slide upon the inner face of the frame of the plunger (0); a. catch (Z) and spring operating upon these plates serve to keep the upper rollers firmly upon the rollers below them thereby holding the clothes. per rollers to rise sufficiently to rotate one fotuth round under the action of the shifting apparatus, which is as follows: lOn the shafts of the concave rollers (a) are fourtoothed`cog wheels (n) which are caused to rotate by means of mechanism shown at Figs. 3 and 4 one fourth round by coming in contact with a catch which trips them in the downward stroke of the plunger. This mechanism consists of a catch or bolt (o) connected by rod with a latch(]). This latch is caused to project beyond the standard by a. spring (s), but is pushed in, and th-e bolt consequently pushed out at each descent of the plunger bythe impact of a cleat (t) upon the posts of the plunger, the cleat being square at bottom for that purpose, but beveled (as shown) on its upper edge so as to shove the latch sidewise in a line with the tongue (u).

The spaces (/v) are intended for liquid soap; the toggles (w) are introduced for giving an increased sweep to the plunger and for making its most powerful action at the point where it meets with the resistance of the water which is intended to be very sudden and powerful so as to cause it to permeate the clothes thoroughly.

In Fig. 5 is shownr a double plunger, which by means of the spring (rv) between The spring, &c., allow the upy its members has a pressure outward which renders it equivalent to the spring blocks (g) in Fig. 2.

Fig'. 6 shows a block (y) laid over the lower rollers in the plunger, which, when an automatic shifting apparatus is not desired may be shifted by hand, and may be retained tightly upon the clothes by a pressure of plates, catches and `springs as shown in Fig. l, for keeping the upper rollers in the plunger to their work.

Having thus fully, clearly and exactly described the nature, construction, and operation of my improvement in washing machines, what I claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The chamber or tub (d) with its nar* rowed neck and otherwise constructed substantially as described, in combination with the plunger (c), which latten-with the clathes wrapped around it,-passes through the narrowed neck of the chamber and pressing forcibly on the water confined within the body of the chamber, drives it violently in the direction of the arrows and through the body of the clothes, carrying the dirt with it.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand before two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID ALLAN.

- l/Vitnesses:

GEORGE STUART, GEO. H. VRIGHT. 

